International Internships

Our international internship opportunities are open to people from all backgrounds who are at least 16 years old. They’re particularly valuable if you’re about to join university, already a student, or looking for graduate internships abroad.

For example, if you do an Engineering Internship abroad, you’ll gain practical work experience and skills that will help set you apart when you apply for jobs following graduation. Similarly, you can do a Business Internship abroad to land yourself a place at a more highly rated business school.

Requirements vary depending on the internship you choose, but for most internship work abroad, you can join without any specific qualifications or expertise. Unless specified in the requirements, you don’t need to be enrolled in university or at school to join our internships abroad.

You'll work alongside experienced professionals and you'll be guided every step of the way if you need it. Use their expertise for your own professional development.

At the same time, many of our internships are designed to have a meaningful impact in the communities you work in. For example, your Microfinance Internship abroad will be used to help local entrepreneurs grow their business. If you choose a Medical Internship abroad, your help will bring essential basic medical services to rural areas.

Throughout your project, you’ll be supervised by our friendly local staff. They’ll be available 24/7 to support and guide you through the work you do.

If you’re worried about how much you can really gain from an internship programme when you’re going in with little experience, read our blog about volunteering abroad with no experience.

Also, be sure to check out our list of the best internships abroad in 2020 for more inspiration!

If you’re planning on working abroad for the summer to give your CV an extra edge, our projects are a great fit. They run throughout the year and have flexible dates, so you can do summer internships abroad with us any point over June, July, or August.

Summer is a popular time of year to do an internship programme abroad, especially for high school graduates and university students. Many people ask us “when should I apply for a summer internship?” We recommend applying early (at least three months before you want to leave) to make sure you get a spot on the placement of your choice. This is especially important if you’re applying for a trip with fixed dates, as those fill up quickly!

Narrow down your choices based on your interests. If you’re passionate about helping animals, you could end up on a Wildlife Conservation Internship abroad or a Marine Conservation Internship abroad. Or maybe you plan to study English at university, in which case, you’d get a lot out of a Journalism Internship abroad.

For those already at university, the choice is a little easier; you’re likely to pick the project that most closely matches the subject you study. If you’re still at school and are unsure of which path to take, then read this popular blog post on the best summer internships for high school students for more inspiration.

“I came into my medical placement knowing nearly nothing about medicine other than the fact that I wanted one day to work in the field, and I left knowing exactly what branch of surgery I want to specialise in. It was one of the best experiences that I have had in my life.” - Jose L, Medical Internship in Mexico

When you travel overseas, you’re opening your mind up to new ways of looking at the world. This allows you to think more creatively and become the problem solver that employers are looking for.

Say you do a Nursing Internship abroad. You’ll become educated on the health requirements of a completely new environment. Maybe you’ll be testing for malaria in Kenya or working with traditional medicine in Vietnam. Whatever you do, you’ll expand your skills by observing how professional nurses operate in other regions of the world.

Or maybe you work on a Human Rights Internship abroad. You’ll have firsthand experience of the importance of human rights in countries like Ghana. Your home country might already have LGBTQ rights in a way that Ghana sadly doesn’t. It’s only by experiencing these different legal systems firsthand, that you get a sense of just how valuable justice really is.

So the real advantage of an internship abroad is gained perspective. You’ll have a high-quality experiential education, shadowing experts, but in an environment that really pushes your limits. You’ll leave bursting with confidence, ready to show employers what you’re capable of.

“Before Cape Town, I really knew nothing about human rights. Coming here not only enlightened me, but it impacted me in every aspect of my life. I can never forget these amazing people at Youngsfield, and everyone I met along the way. When I left, each one of the refugees hugged me and looked me deep in the eyes to tell me thank you. The gratitude and love these people possessed was incomprehensible.” - Emily D, Law & Human Rights Internship, South Africa